Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre

Enjoy an adventure at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Center. Get a guided tour around the Athabasca Glacier on Ice Explorer, admire the stunning mountains and glaciers and listen as your guide informs you of all the facts and history. Meet your guide, who will take you to the Athabasca Glacier. At the scheduled time, board your Ice Explorer, a massive vehicle designed explicitly for glacial travel, and set off on an exciting ride. During your ride, hear stories and facts about the Columbia Icefield and the glaciers around you. Once on the Glacier, hop off the vehicle to walk on the thick, 25,000-year-old ice and drink cold, pure water from the glacier itself. This is an experience you will never forget. Then, take a short ride to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. Heighten your senses by walking on a platform where only glass separates you from a 918-foot (279-meter) drop. Marvel at the spectacular views of the mountains, glaciers, and the Sunwapta River with its waterfalls.

Get an entry ticket to Columbia Icefield Skywalk, a cliff-edge walkway 918 feet (279 meters) above the valley floor. See giant glaciers perched above you and the spectacular Sunwapta Valley below with this experience. Make your way to the Columbia Icefield Discovery Center in Jasper, then board the shuttle to get to the skywalk. Upon arrival at the observation platform, collect your audio guide and embark on your adventure. Step onto the glass floor of the Columbia Icefield Skywalk to begin the scenic 1-kilometer walk, surrounded by fantastic views. Marvel at crystal-clear waterfalls, admire the mountains and glaciers above and keep a lookout for wildlife native to the Candian Rockies.

Don’t miss a thing as your favorite audio tour narrator guides you to not-to-be-missed places of interest across Banff, Lake Louise, Yoho, Icefields Parkway and Jasper, along with fascinating stories, tips and directions. Follow the suggested itineraries, or divide the commentary and create your own half, full or multi day sightseeing trips. The Canadian Rocky Mountains National Parks are such an amazing place where the scenery is often almost too good to be true. The National Parks are spread over hundreds of miles, each area with its own rewarding features, attractions and wildlife. Includes: Lake Louise and Yoho (Full Day) Lake Louise is one of the most famous of all the photos to take in the Rockies, with the beautifully coloured lake backdropped by massive, glacier-draped peaks. Moraine Lake is easily as stunning, with 10 peaks surrounding the lake. Be sure to read the information about pre-planning required to visit Moraine Lake. Yoho is the National Park that continues directly west of Lake Louise. Major attractions include Takakkaw Falls, a mighty glacier-fed cascade is the biggest in the Rockies, the serene Emerald Lake, and the Natural Bridge - an awesome display of the power of water. Also make a stop at the Spiral Tunnels to witness some manmade ingenuity. Commentary fills the portion of the drive between Lake Louise and Banff, with Johnston Canyon the most popular stop, and it's your choice whether to drive on the fast Hwy 1, or the slower, scenic 1A - Bow Valley Parkway. Icefields Parkway (Long Full Day) Without any doubt, this is the most scenic drive in the National Parks and has been voted the World's Most Beautiful Mountain Drive. Glaciers that practically touch the road, brilliant blue lakes, and thundering waterfalls dominate the route. And this drive is usually rich with wildlife. Take a full day to enjoy all the stops if driving one way between Banff or Lake Louise and Jasper, or reverse. It is also common to drive from Banff/Lake Louise to the Icefields Centre and then return as a day trip. Jasper (1-2 Days) With wider valleys between its mighty mountain ranges, and a touch lower elevation, Jasper is an ideal environment for wildlife. Drive the loop that visits the pretty lakes that sit on a benchland above the town, effortlessly climb Whistlers Mountain on the TramWay and even share the view with some big horn sheep on Old Fort Point, all close to the town. Then venture further out to the Maligne Canyon and Maligne Lake, the location of the famous Spirit Island cruise. And be sure to soak in the Rockies' hottest springs at Miette. Around Town of Banff (Half- Full Day) There are about a dozen surprisingly impressive things to do around the town of Banff, none more than 20 minutes away. Join the tour loop and follow from place to place with frequent stops for incredible views, waterfalls, mountain lakes and often lucky wildlife spotting locations.

Crowfoot Glacier Early explorers named the glacier Crowfoot because its three sections of ice looked like a crow’s foot on the mountain. While one of the three “toes” has now receded and disappeared, the glacier is no less spectacular. The Crowfoot Glacier sits above Bow Lake, providing stunning photo opportunities for those traveling the Icefields Parkway. The spectacular Crowfoot Glacier can be viewed from a lookout point on the world-famous Icefields Parkway about 34 km (21 mi) north of Lake Louise. Bow Lake Bow Lake is one of the many lakes that line the Icefields Parkway and a popular stop for visitors to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It’s no secret that the Canadian Rockies are not short of spectacular vistas and lakes. Bow Lake is one of our top recommendations for a stop to stretch the legs on the Icefields Parkway. A short walk along the lakeshore trail is a family-friendly hike, or you can enjoy longer hikes around Bow Lake for a more complete day. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you don’t miss Bow Lake. Columbia Icefield Skywalk & Ice Explorer Go beyond nature's edge and immerse yourself in an awe-inspiring interpretive experience in one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Explore the immense powers of glaciology from a fully accessible, cliff-edge walkway that leads to a glass-floored observation platform 280 m (918 ft) above the Sunwapta Valley. From ice-capped mountain peaks to vast glacier-formed valleys, the Columbia Icefield Skywalk is your front-row seat to nature's most grand performance. The Columbia Icefield Skywalk is situated in a national park and there are plenty of opportunities for spotting wildlife throughout the trip. Mountain goats are especially prevalent. If you're lucky, you may witness a bald eagle soaring through the wind. Peyto Lake Peyto Lake is a glacier-fed lake in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. The lake itself is near the Icefields Parkway. The lake is formed in a valley of the Waputik Range, between Caldron Peak, Peyto Peak and Mount Jimmy Simpson, at an elevation of 1,860 m (6,100 ft). During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flour flow into the lake from a nearby glacier, and these suspended rock particles are what give the lake a unique bright, turquoise colour. Because of its bright colour, photos of the lake often appear in illustrated books,and the area around the lake is a popular sightseeing spot. The lake is best seen from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway. Herbert Lake The Herbert Lake has the lake and snow-capped mountain views are stunning. There is an awesome and far less-traveled trail with great mountain views. This trail starts off in the parking area of Herbert Lake. The exact trailhead can be hard to find, in fact, so it is recommended to download the offline maps to make sure you stay on the route. The trail is extremely well-defined and easy to follow once past the trailhead.

Don’t miss a thing as your favorite audio tour narrator guides you through the Icefields Parkway to must-see points of interest, with fascinating stories, tips, and directions along the way. Follow the suggested itineraries or create your own half, full, or multi-day sightseeing trips. The Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in the world, offers unparalleled natural beauty and geological wonders. As you travel, you'll encounter majestic glaciers, stunning lakes, and breathtaking waterfalls, all narrated by your audio guide. Major Highlights: Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre Crowfoot Glacier Bow Lake Weeping Wall Peyto Lake Parker Ridge Trail Sunwapta Falls Athabasca Falls Includes: Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre: Visit one of the largest icefields in North America to learn about the history and geology of this incredible site. Plus, take an optional walk directly on the ancient Athabasca Glacier. Crowfoot Glacier: Marvel at this iconic hanging glacier, shaped like a crow’s foot, and learn about the effects of climate change on the environment. Bow Lake: Enjoy the crystal-clear turquoise waters of this stunning glacier-fed lake, surrounded by towering peaks. Weeping Wall: Witness the dramatic cliff face where water cascades down, creating the illusion of a wall that is weeping, that’s especially impressive during the spring melt. Peyto Lake: Visit one of the most photographed lakes in the world, known for its unique wolf-head shape and vibrant blue colour, offering breathtaking views. Parker Ridge Trail: Take a hike for panoramic views of the Saskatchewan Glacier. Sunwapta Falls: Experience the powerful force of water as it cascades through a narrow gorge, a spectacular sight with plenty of opportunities for exploration. Athabasca Falls: Witness the force of one of the most powerful waterfalls in the Canadian Rockies. This incredibly scenic drive will no doubt be a highlight of your visit to the Canadian Rockies, and this audio tour provides a detailed guide to experiencing all of the must-see sites and viewpoints along this iconic drive between Lake Louise and Jasper. The audio tour can be taken in either direction, or as a daytrip from Lake Louise.